When it comes to baking on the low FODMAP diet, cake recipes that use polenta instead of wheat flour are great because they still have that crumbly texture but don’t feel like a compromise. This cake uses the slightly unusual technique of boiling citrus fruit until soft, which is then blended and added to the cake batter. This takes a bit of time but is worth it, as it results in an enjoyably intense citrus flavour. The icing that is drizzled over the top uses cream cheese but feel free to substitute with a lactose free yoghurt.

Clementine & Cardamom Crumble Cake

Serves: 10-12

Time: 2.5 hours

Difficulty: Moderate

Ingredients

For the cake:

3 clementines

1 lemon (unwaxed)

6 eggs

250 grams caster sugar

150 grams polenta or cornmeal

100 grams ground almonds

1 teaspoon baking powder

Seeds from 4 cardamom pods crushed to a powder with a pestle and mortar

1 pinch of salt

Butter to grease the tin

25 grams pecans, roughly chopped

For the crumble:

25 grams oat flour (Note: you can make your own by blending rolled oats)

15 grams rolled oats

65 grams demerara sugar

50 grams cold unsalted butter

Seeds from 2 cardamom pods crushed with a pestle and mortar

For the icing:

100 grams cream cheese or lactose free yoghurt

3 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons orange juice

Method

1. Wash the clementines and lemon and put in a saucepan with enough cold water to cover them. Bring to the boil and simmer for one and a half hours until completely soft.
2. While the fruit is simmering make the crumble topping by blending all the crumble ingredients together in a food processor for about 30 seconds. Grease and line a 22-24cm loose bottomed cake tin. Preheat the oven to 190C / 170C fan / 375F.
3. Once the fruit is soft remove it from the tin and allow to cool. Once cool enough to handle, cut the fruit in half and remove any pips. Blend the fruit until it forms a smooth pulp.
4. In a large bowl whisk the eggs and sugar together until thickened slightly. Add the almonds, polenta, baking powder, salt and cardamom and gently mix through. Transfer the mixture into the cake tin, level the mix with a spatula and sprinkle the crumble mix on top.
5. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Check the cake after 40 minutes. When a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean it’s done.
6. Once the cake is done leave it to cool in the tin. While the cake is cooling make the icing by mixing all the ingredients together.

Once cool remove the cake from the tin, drizzle with the icing and sprinkle with the chopped pecans.